The history of Chicano theater covers various aspects of the development of the Mexican-American, cultural identity: interwoven traditions, merged language, distinctive values, and discrimination. Essentially, Chicano theater acts as a platform for members of the community to voice and discuss real issues, from both the past and present, that affect their society. Therefore, it makes sense that Zoot Suit acts as a critical mile-stone within the timeline of Chicano theater’s history. Zoot Suit, written in 1978 by Luis Miguel Valdez, is based in the early 1940's and covers the zoot suit riots that took place in 1943. In his play, Luis Valdez addresses past issues of discriminatory violence and prejudiced legal proceedings regarding minorities that were fueled by the nationalism of WWII. Specifically, Valdez brings the issue of racial profiling and stereotyping that revolved around zoot suits, a style of dress popular among the minority groups of the times, to center stage. Essentially, like many Chicano playwrights before him, Luis Valdez uses past events to talk about present issues; taking the zoot suit riots and Pachuco style from Chicano history to address the issues of discrimination that are, unfortunately, still relevant today. All the while, Valdez preserves the culturally distinctive value of unconditional love and loyalty to family and friends and the characteristic usage of ‘Spanglish’ within the Chicano community. Overall, Valdez’s work, Zoot Suit, is arguably the quintessential Chicano play; framing the incorporation of past issues into modern dialogue with culturally distinctive values and traits of the Chicano community.